Infertility is often viewed as a woman's problem but when a couple has trouble conceiving, there's a good chance it's related to male factors--in fact, that's the case 40-50% of the time. That's why the male partner should be part of any couple's fertility assessment.

Eventually, after talking with friends and family -- and consciously letting go -- I've gotten to the point where I've started to stop taking everything so personally. I've realized it's not that good things happen to good people. And it's not that bad things happen to bad people.

Saying "the wrong thing," as well intended as it can be, often causes additional pain and suffering to those couples trying so hard to conceive. Here are some tips on how to shift your support from a state of helplessness to a space of helpfulness.

A cultural phenomenon is growing these days in the world of gamete donation. The voices of the donor-conceived are growing louder and clearer, and the vast majority express that knowing or having known the identity of their donors is better than not knowing.

Relationships are tough enough as it is -- throw infertility into the mix and they can become even more complicated. When struggling with infertility, a couple's time, thoughts, and finances tend to all revolve around one goal: taking home a healthy baby.

After a year of trying to get pregnant on our own and experiencing two early miscarriages, my husband and I decided it was time for a medical opinion of our situation. But in our grief and haste, we did the wrong thing: made an appointment at the first clinic we found on Google that was closest to our house.

I know that your ability to have a baby (or many babies) is not what keeps me from having one of my own. I also know you are confused about how to approach me -- afraid your abundant fertility will send me into a deep pit of despair. This isn't a me problem or a you problem; it's an us problem.

As long as infertility is only a women's disease, the burden of infertility is unequally distributed. As more men speak up about their challenges with trying to conceive, women and men will feel even more supported and encouraged. And less alone.